{"id":143436,"date":"2023-03-23T22:37:10","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T02:37:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/spanish-ir-verbs\/"},"modified":"2024-12-03T03:56:25","modified_gmt":"2024-12-03T08:56:25","slug":"spanish-ir-verbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/spanish-ir-verbs\/","title":{"rendered":"24 Most Common IR Verbs in Spanish"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spanish verbs<\/a> have three possible endings: -ar, -er<\/em> and -ir, <\/em>but today we’re focusing on -ir<\/em> verbs. Odds are, you will use -ir<\/em> verbs in almost every Spanish conversation you have.<\/p>\n

And lucky for you, you’ll be well equipped after reading this guide\u2014so get ready to learn the 24 most common -ir<\/em> verbs in Spanish, plus how to conjugate and practice them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Conjugating Spanish IR\u00a0Verbs<\/h2>\n

As with any verb, to form the different tenses with -ir<\/em> verb, drop the -ir<\/em> from the infinitive (the base form of the verb) and add the following endings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Subject<\/th>Present<\/th>Past Imperfect<\/th>Preterite<\/th>Simple Future<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Yo<\/i><\/td>-o<\/td>-\u00eda<\/i><\/td>-\u00ed<\/i><\/td>-\u00e9<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
T\u00fa<\/i><\/td>-es<\/i><\/td>-\u00edas<\/i><\/td>-iste<\/i><\/td>-\u00e1s<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00c9l\/ella\/usted<\/i><\/td>-e<\/i><\/td>-\u00eda<\/i><\/td>-i\u00f3<\/i><\/td>-\u00e1<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nosotros<\/i><\/td>-imos<\/i><\/td>-\u00edamos<\/i><\/td>-imos<\/i><\/td>-emos<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vosotros<\/i><\/td>-\u00eds<\/i><\/td>-\u00edais<\/i><\/td>-isteis<\/i><\/td>-\u00e9is<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ellos\/ellas\/ustedes<\/i><\/td>-en<\/i><\/td>-\u00edan<\/i><\/td>-ieron<\/i><\/td>-\u00e1n<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

For example, if you were to conjugate\u00a0escribir\u00a0<\/em>(to write) in the present tense, you’d end up with:<\/p>\n

Yo escribo<\/strong><\/em>
\nT\u00fa escribes<\/strong><\/em>
\n\u00c9l\/ella\/usted escribe<\/strong><\/em>
\nNosotros escribimos<\/strong><\/em>
\nVosotros escrib\u00eds<\/strong><\/em>
\nEllos\/ellas\/ustedes escriben<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Note that vosotros<\/em> (the plural informal “you”) is only used in Spain<\/a>. If you’re planning on just speaking Spanish in the Americas, you’ll use ustedes<\/em> with any groups of people you encounter.<\/p>\n

When it comes to irregular -ir<\/em> verbs, every conjugation may be a little bit different.\u00a0You mostly have to memorize irregular verbs and their conjugations, but some patterns will help you.<\/p>\n

However, most of the time the nosotros<\/em> form is not<\/strong> irregular. Let’s take the verb dormir <\/em>(to sleep) for example. Notice how the stem from\u00a0dorm- <\/em>to\u00a0duerm-\u00a0<\/em>for all of the different forms except for the\u00a0nosotros\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>form:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yo duermo<\/em>
\nT\u00fa duermes<\/em>
\n\u00c9l\/ella\/usted duerme<\/em>
\nNosotros dormi<\/strong>mos<\/em>
\nVosotros dorm\u00eds
\n<\/em>Ellos\/ellas\/ustedes duermen<\/em><\/p>\n

Most Common Regular IR Verbs in Spanish<\/h2>\n

There are quite a few -ir<\/em> verbs that will follow the conjugation rules without any strange changes. These are 12 of the most common regular -ir verbs that you will use.\u00a0<\/p>\n

1. Compartir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To share<\/h3>\n

Ellos comparten<\/strong> la comida. \u2014 <\/em>They share the food.<\/p>\n

2. Confundir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To confuse<\/h3>\n

If you’ve already learned about reflexive verbs<\/a>, you’ll definitely want the reflexive form as well, confundirse (to get mixed up, be confused, make mistakes):<\/p>\n

Siempre confundo<\/strong> la bachata con el merengue. \u2014 <\/em>I always get bachata mixed up with merengue.<\/p>\n

Laura se confunde<\/strong> con\u00a0todo<\/em>. \u2014 Laura’s got everything all wrong.<\/p>\n

3. Decidir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To decide<\/h3>\n

Decidimos<\/strong> que no deber\u00edamos ir. \u2014 <\/em>We decided that we shouldn’t go.<\/p>\n

4. Describir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To describe<\/h3>\n

\u00c9l describi\u00f3<\/strong>\u00a0al asesino.<\/em> \u2014 He described the murderer.<\/p>\n

5. Descubrir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To discover<\/h3>\n

Ahora descubrimos<\/strong> nuestros l\u00edmites<\/em>. \u2014 Now we’re discovering our limits.<\/p>\n

6. Discutir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To argue<\/h3>\n

Siempre discutimos<\/strong> sobre eso.<\/em> \u2014 We’re always arguing about that.<\/p>\n

7. Escribir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To write<\/h3>\n

Escribo<\/strong> un correo electr\u00f3nico a mi madre cada semana<\/em>. \u2014 I write an email to my mother every week.<\/p>\n

8. Existir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To exist<\/h3>\n

Pienso, luego existo<\/strong><\/em>. \u2014 I think, therefore I am. (The translation of Descartes’ famous\u00a0cogito ergo sum<\/em>.)<\/p>\n

9. Permitir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To permit<\/h3>\n

No se permite<\/strong> nadar. \u2014 <\/em>No swimming allowed.<\/p>\n

10. Recibir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To receive<\/h3>\n

\u00bfRecibiste<\/strong> mi correo? \u2014 <\/em>Did you receive my email?<\/p>\n

11. Subir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To rise up<\/h3>\n

Suben<\/strong> al autobus<\/em>. \u2014 They’re getting on the bus.<\/p>\n

12. Vivir<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 To live<\/h3>\n

Vivo<\/strong> con mi padre<\/em>. \u2014 I live with my father.<\/p>\n

Most Common Irregular IR Verbs in Spanish<\/h2>\n

13. Decir<\/em> \u2014 To say<\/h3>\n

Le digo<\/strong> hola al polic\u00eda cada d\u00eda.<\/em> \u2014 I say hello to the policeman every day.<\/p>\n

14. Dormir<\/em> \u2014 To sleep<\/h3>\n

Ella duerme<\/strong> todo el d\u00eda. \u2014 <\/em>She sleeps all day.<\/p>\n

15. Ir<\/em> \u2014 To go<\/h3>\n

Rafael va<\/strong> a cocinar la cena esta noche. \u2014 <\/em>Rafael is going to cook dinner tonight.<\/p>\n

16. Morir<\/em> \u2014 To die<\/h3>\n

Me muero <\/b>de hambre.\u00a0\u2014 <\/em>I’m dying of hunger.<\/p>\n

17. O\u00edr<\/em> \u2014 To hear<\/h3>\n

\u00bfOyes<\/strong> eso? \u2014 <\/em>Do you hear that?<\/p>\n

18. Pedir<\/em> \u2014 To ask<\/h3>\n

Los estudiantes est\u00e1n pidiendo<\/strong> m\u00e1s tiempo para terminar el examen.<\/em> \u2014 The students are asking for more time to finish the exam.<\/p>\n

19. Re\u00edrse<\/em> \u2014 <\/em>To laugh<\/h3>\n

Se r\u00ede<\/strong> de los chistes del comediante. \u2014 <\/em>He laughs at the comedian’s jokes.<\/p>\n

20. Repetir<\/em> \u2014 To repeat<\/h3>\n

Repites<\/strong> despu\u00e9s de m\u00ed. \u2014 <\/em>You repeat after me.<\/p>\n

21. Seguir<\/em> \u2014 To follow<\/h3>\n

Sigo<\/strong> a su novia en Instagram<\/em>. \u2014 I follow his girlfriend on Instagram.<\/p>\n

22. Sentir<\/em> \u2014 To feel<\/h3>\n

Se sienten<\/strong> tristes por la muerte de su madre. \u2014 <\/em>They feel sad about their mother’s death.<\/p>\n

23. Servir<\/em> \u2014 To serve<\/h3>\n

Sirven<\/strong> alcohol hasta la medianoche.<\/em> \u2014 They serve alcohol until midnight.<\/p>\n

24. Venir<\/em> \u2014 To come<\/h3>\n

Vengo<\/strong> de Guatemala. \u2014 <\/em>I come from Guatemala.<\/p>\n

How to Practice Spanish Verb Conjugations<\/h2>\n

Here are some tips on how to learn and practice verb conjugation:<\/p>\n